Christmas: The Ultimate Holiday

Ah, Christmas. The holiday kids wait all year for. Even the entire month of December is dedicated to Santa, wishlists, eggnog, Michael Buble, Buddy the Elf, and most of all, the Christmas cheer. But unfortunately, not everyone gets to experience Christmas, even if December is built upon it. As a Jewish girl, I have never experienced my own Christmas, but I have always wanted to understand the feeling of waking up with presents under the tree. When I was a kid, being Jewish on Christmas felt like an outsider looking in on the epitome of fun. And now that I am 18, nothing has changed.

A Jewish Girl in a Christmas World

I was told that Santa was not real from a young age. My parents sat me down for a very serious conversation in Kindergarten to let me in on the big secret- and I cried. Nonetheless, I was told to keep the secret of Santa for the sake of my friends traditions. While I felt vastly powerful with this gigantic secret in my little brain, I still felt left out on the Christmas tradition. To this day, although the secret is (mostly) known by my friends and family, I often feel left out of the conversation. Many of my friends know all the words to Christmas songs while I still struggle with the lyrics because I was not raised on them. I have no idea what a "Christmas feast" means. And what even is a wreath? From age five to age 18, I wrestled with the idea that I cannot experience a real Christmas because I don't understand the traditions. But lighting the menorah is still exhilarating, right?

Can I have a Christmas Tree for Hannukah?

The age-old question I asked every Hannukah- can we get a Christmas tree instead of Hannukah gifts this year? Although my parents always gave me a harsh no, I always found ways to incorporate Christmas into my life. Whether it was by listening to Christmas music on the radio, participating in Secret Santa, or watching Elf every Christmas, I made sure I was in on the Christmas lingo. But, no matter how deeply I immersed myself in the Christmas spirit, I was always missing one thing- the tree. The ultimate symbol of holiday cheer has never set foot in my house. While I have come to terms with the idea that a Christmas tree will never appear in my living room, I still ask my parents every year for a tree, no matter how small.

The Night of Christmas: A "fun" Experience

For many Jewish kids, Christmas nights include Chinese food and a movie with the family. Every year, while other kids go to bed early to wake up to gifts under the tree, my family would go out for a fun night on the town. Although I never woke up the next morning to freshly made hot cocoa and presents under the tree, Christmas Eve for my family was still just as much fun. While I never believed my parents when they said we would have fun, looking back, we always had a blast going out on the night everyone stayed in. Christmas Eve and day gave us time to ourselves to explore the town without many people around. Although I didn't have the same experience on Christmas as my friends, it was always just as fun because of the traditions my family and I experienced together.

The Aftermath: My Appreciation

While I have still never celebrated Christmas, I've learned to appreciate the spirit of Hannukah. We have our own traditions that mean more to me than Christmas ever will. Latkes, lighting the candles, and playing dreidel with my family are memories that I will never forget. Going to a movie and getting Chinese food every Christmas has become a wonderful tradition. I've been able to invite my friends over to light the Menorah with my family, and my friends have invited me over to decorate their Christmas tree with their family. I've realized that the holidays are not about whether or not you celebrate the holiday, but rather connecting to your friends and family in the holiday spirit. In the end, the spirit of the holidays doesn't rely on your religion or what holiday you celebrate- it relies on tradition, gratitude, and love.